(Holy mother of the Ancients! I am so so so so SORRY that I have not been posting at all, I lost access to my account for a bit, and then I got so busy just focusing on writing as a whole, I totally forgot to actually post a lot of it! I am planning on posting the rest of the Songstress and the rest of the Ni No Kuni series to here as soon as possible, just give me some time! Until then, enjoy! Please, don't hate me!)
Tools and a table were brought in, and the two brothers set to work on the Clarion, Swaine working with saws and such to cut out the holes, and Marcassin using magic to make it powerful.
The others watched in awe as they worked.
"Wow!" Oliver exclaimed. "That thing sure is powerful..." Harmony chuckled. She loved watching the two brothers, working so hard together to create something so magnificent.
"Yes!" Esther agreed with Harmony without realizing it. "And they work so well together!"
"Friends come and go." Harmony murmured as they finished up. "But even in the toughest of times, family stays forever." Marcassin suddenly picked up the Clarion, and handed it to Oliver, who stared at it in awe.
"Wow! Now we can finally clear a path to Shadar's castle." He told the others, popping the Clarion into his bag. "Thank you, Your Majesty. And thank you too, Swaine!" Swaine shrugged humbly.
"Oh, don't worry about thanking me... But how long is it since we last made something together, Marcassin?" Marcassin laughed at the memory.
"Ha! Do you remember the model pig tank we made together?" Everyone in the group collectively groaned. They each had their own memories of a pig tank that they would prefer to forget.
"Bleurgh! A blooming pig tank!?" Drippy exclaimed, speaking their thoughts. "That's the last pigging thing I want to be reminded of!"
"We're on the same page there, Drippy." Harmony told him, shivering at the thought, and Swaine chuckled.
"Heh. You'll hear no arguments from me on that score. Anyway, let's focus on the task ahead-clearing the Miasma Marshes." Esther took the Clarion from Oliver, admiring its beauty.
"The Clarion looks so beautiful..." She murmured. "I can't wait to hear how it sounds!" Oliver nodded.
"I think you should be the one to play it, Esther." She jumped at the statement, and Drippy jumped up to her.
"Yeah, Ollie-boy's right. If you ask me, there en't no better woman for the job!"
"I agree. I mean, I'd love to do it, but I'm tone deaf."
"And the only instrument this girl can play is the one in her throat." Harmony remarked. "My hands maybe good in combat, but the delicate hands of a musician, I have not." Esther looked down at the Clarion again, unsure for a moment, before nodding.
"I-I'll do it! I'll play the Clarion and clear a path through the Miasma Marshes!" Marcassin nodded in approval at this statement.
"I truly believe you will, Esther." She gave a quick bow to him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Then she turned to Oliver. "Come on, Oliver! We should get going!" Oliver nodded in agreement.
"You're right. It's time to head for the Miasma Marshes."
SONGSTRESS
They flew back to Perdida, where they were granted permission to enter the path towards the Miasma Marshes, thanks to the guards recognized the beauty of the instrument that was the Clarion, and let them pass, where they of course faced stronger, more powerful, darker familiars that were a little more difficult than normal. They suspected that they might've been drawing some of their dark power from the Marshes themselves.
They reached the entrance to the Marshes, Oliver trying to hold in some coughs as the Miasma surrounded them, rain thundering overhead.
"So this is it, huh?" He murmured, trying to look around, but all he saw was the foggy Miasma, and a dim light out in the distance. "The Miasma Marshes..."
"It en't the most welcoming place in the world, is it, Ollie-boy?" Drippy said, shaking his head. "I can hardly see the light from my own flipping lantern!" Harmony nodded, a chill going down her spine.
"It's worse than I remember." She murmured. "The fog must have thickened over time." Esther clenched the Clarion tightly. She had to take a deep breath, coughing a little from inhaling the Miasma, but she stepped forward anyways. She knew what she had to do, even if she didn't feel quite ready.
"Well, here goes..." she whispered, almost to herself, before lifting the Clarion to her lips, and playing the most beautiful tune they all had ever heard. The music cleared away the fog that surrounded them, the beasts hidden within seeming to have been soothed by the music. Even the group themselves felt more at ease as the music played, though as soon as it stopped, Harmony stumbled, her vision going dark, and she heard an all too familiar laughter.
"Harmony!" Oliver exclaimed, as she fell to her knee, Esther looking terrified, clutching the Clarion.
"Shadar." She murmured. "He heard the Clarion. He knows we're here. He's waiting." Esther looked down, unsure if what she had done was wrong.
"The Miasma Marshes..." Swaine mumbled, and they all looked at the stormy swampy area they were in. Now that the music had stopped, the familiars were growling and snarling around, two of them fighting each other. The rain hadn't stopped, and the trees had light in them that made them look as though they had burning eyes, staring at them.
"Now we can cross them." Oliver said, though he seemed hesitant to take the first step. They all were. Even Drippy was nearly silent at the thought of what was ahead of them.
"He's up ahead, en't he?" He told them, and Oliver nodded.
"Yes. He's waiting." He spoke as though it were only to himself, as though he could scarcely believe it. "Shadar..."